---
title: “General chat” channels
---

import {TabItem, Tabs} from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

import FlattenedSteps from "../../components/FlattenedSteps.astro";
import NavigationSteps from "../../components/NavigationSteps.astro";
import SaveChanges from "../include/_SaveChanges.mdx";
import SelectChannelViewGeneralAdvanced from "../include/_SelectChannelViewGeneralAdvanced.mdx";

Zulip's [topics](/help/introduction-to-topics) help you keep conversations
organized, but you may not need topics in some channels (e.g., a social channel,
or one with a narrow purpose).

If you have permission to administer a channel, you can configure it to only
have the special “*general chat*” topic. The name of this topic is shown in
italics, and is translated into [your language](/help/change-your-language).

Users won't need to enter a topic when sending a message to a “*general chat*”
channel.

## Configure a channel to have only the “*general chat*” topic

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Desktop/Web">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <NavigationSteps target="relative/channel/all" />

      1. Select a channel.

      <SelectChannelViewGeneralAdvanced />

      1. Under **Messaging permissions**, set **Allow posting to the *general chat*
         topic?** to **Only “general chat” topic allowed**.

      <SaveChanges />
    </FlattenedSteps>
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Related articles

* [Introduction to topics](/help/introduction-to-topics)
* [“*General chat*” topic](/help/general-chat-topic)
* [Require topics in channel messages](/help/require-topics)
